Ýokary Liga Explained

Turkmenistan Higher League
Organiser:Turkmenistan Football Federation
Country:Turkmenistan
Confed:AFC
Teams:9[1]
Relegation:Turkmenistan First League
Levels:1
Domest Cup:Turkmenistan Cup
Turkmenistan Super Cup
Confed Cup:AFC Champions League Two
Champions:FK Arkadag (1st title)
Season:2023
Most Champs:Altyn Asyr (8 titles)
Top Goalscorer:Mämmedaly Garadanow
(175 goals)
Tv:Turkmenistan Sport
Current:2024

The Turkmenistan Higher League, also called Türkmenistan Ýokary Liga (Turkmen: Ýokary liga futbol klublarynyň arasyndaky futbol boýunça Türkmenistanyň çempionaty),[2] is the top division of professional football in Turkmenistan, operated by the Turkmenistan Football Federation.

It was founded in 1992. Nine clubs participate in the Higher League of the Turkmenistan National Championship. The season runs between April and November.

There are 9 teams in the competition. As of the 2024 season, the league had one AFC Champions League Two qualifying spot for the league winner league.[3]

Since the introduction of the Turkmenistan Higher League in 1992, FC Altyn Asyr (8 times), FC Kopetdag (6 times), FC Nebitchi (4 times), FC Nisa (4 times), FC Yedigen (4 times), FC Ashgabat (2 times), FC Ahal[4] (1 time), FC Arkadag and FC Shagadam (1 time) have won the title. FC Arkadag are the current champions for the first time.[5]

History

After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, starting in 1992, each former Soviet republic organized an independent national championship.

FC Kopetdag won the first four titles. Nisa Aşgabat was the only team which managed to break Kopetdag's dominance, winning the top division title in 1996.

In 2022, FC Ahal won the title for the first time in their history in Turkmenistan professional football.[6]

Competition

The league traditionally used to run in summer, from April to November.[7]

As of the 2022 season, the champions qualify for the AFC Champions League group stage. The runners-up qualifies for the AFC Cup group stage. If the winner of Turkmenistan Cup ends in first or second in the championship in same season, then the third-place team qualifies to AFC Cup group stage.[8] [9]

Current clubs

A total of 9 teams will contest the league.[1] The following teams are competing in the 2024 season:

ClubLocationStadiumCapacityCoachKit sponsor
[10] [11] ArkadagNusaý Stadium [12] 5,000
ÄnewAshgabat Stadium (Auxiliary field)500 Hojaahmet ArazowNike
AshgabatBüzmeýin Sport Complex[13] 10,000 Ýazguly HojageldiýewPuma
AshgabatAshgabat Stadium (Auxiliary field)500 Said SeýidowAdidas
BalkanabatBalkanabat Sport Complex10,000 Amanmyrat MeredowJako[14]
Saparmyrat Türkmenbaşy, Mary RegionEnergetik stadiony1,000 Rahmanguly BaýlyýewNike
Köpetdag AşgabatAshgabatKöpetdag Stadium26,000 Tofik ŞükürowKappa
MaryMary Sport Complex10,000 Magtymguly BegenjewNike
TürkmenbaşyŞagadam Stadium5,000 Aleksandr KlimenkoNike

Soviet era champions

[15]

  • 1937–38: Lokomotiw Aşgabat
  • 1938: Dinamo Aşgabat
  • 1939–45: no championship
  • 1946: Dinamo Aşgabat
  • 1947: Spartak Aşgabat
  • 1948: Dinamo Aşgabat
  • 1949: Lokomotiw Aşgabat
  • 1950: Spartak Aşgabat
  • 1951: DOSA Aşgabat
  • 1952: DOSA Aşgabat
  • 1953: Dinamo Aşgabat
  • 1954: Combined team of Mary Oblast
  • 1955: Combined team of Aşgabat
  • 1956: Gyzyl Metallist Aşgabat
  • 1957: Combined team of Aşgabat Oblast
  • 1958: Combined team of Aşgabat
  • 1959: Combined team of Nebitdag
  • 1960: Combined team of Çärjew
  • 1961: Energetik Nebitdag
  • 1962: Energetik Nebitdag
  • 1963: Gurluşykçy Mary
  • 1964: Serhetçi Aşgabat
  • 1965: Serhetçi Aşgabat
  • 1966: Serhetçi Aşgabat
  • 1967: Serhetçi Aşgabat
  • 1968: Serhetçi Aşgabat
  • 1969: Serhetçi Aşgabat
  • 1970: Garagum Mary
  • 1971: Maýak Çärjew
  • 1972: Energogurluşykçy Mary
  • 1973: Sementçi Büzmeýin
  • 1974: Awtomobilist Aşgabat
  • 1975: Nebitçi Krasnowodsk
  • 1976: Energetik Mary
  • 1977: Şatlyk Mary
  • 1978: Nebitçi Krasnowodsk
  • 1979: Nebitçi Krasnowodsk
  • 1980: Nebitçi Krasnowodsk
  • 1981: Gurluşykçy Nebitdag
  • 1982: Lokomotiw Aşgabat
  • 1983: Obahojalyktehnika Çärjew
  • 1984: Nebitçi Krasnowodsk
  • 1985: Lokomotiw Aşgabat
  • 1986: Nebitçi Krasnowodsk
  • 1987: SKIF Aşgabat
  • 1988: Ahal Aşgabat Raýon
  • 1989: Medik Nebitdag
  • 1990: Awtomobilist Aşgabat
  • 1991: Sel'khoztekhnika Aşgabat

Seasons summary

SeasonChampionsRunners-upThird place Top scorer (Team) – Goals
1992 Köpetdag AşgabatNebitçi NebitdagAhal Akdaşaýak Sergei Kazankow (TSHT Aşgabat) – 41
1993 Köpetdag AşgabatBüzmeýinNebitçi Balkanabat Berdimyrat Nurmyradow (Köpetdag Aşgabat) – 25
1994 Köpetdag AşgabatNisa AşgabatMerw Mary Berdimyrat Nurmyradow (Köpetdag Aşgabat) – 13
1995 Köpetdag AşgabatNisa AşgabatNebitçi Nebit-Dag Rejepmyrat Agabaýew (Nisa Aşgabat) – 41
1996 Nisa AşgabatKöpetdag AşgabatEkskawatorçy Çärjew Rejepmyrat Agabaýew (Nisa Aşgabat) – 28
1997–98 Köpetdag AşgabatDagdan AşgabatNisa Aşgabat Rejepmyrat Agabaýew (Nisa Aşgabat) – 17
1998–99 Nisa AşgabatKöpetdag AşgabatDagdan Aşgabat Rejepmyrat Agabaýew (Nisa Aşgabat) – 16
Şarafutdin Jumanyýazow (Turan Daşoguz) – 16
Didargylyç Urazow (Nisa Aşgabat) – 16
2000 Köpetdag AşgabatNebitçi Balkanabat Amandurdy Annadurdyýew (Köpetdag Aşgabat) – 13
2001 Nisa AşgabatKöpetdag AşgabatNebitçi Balkanabat Didargylyç Urazow (Nisa Aşgabat) – 32
2002 Şagadam TürkmenbaşyNisa AşgabatGaragum Turkmenabat Rustam Sadykow (Şagadam Türkmenbaşy) – 20
2003 Nisa AşgabatNebitçi BalkanabatŞagadam Türkmenbaşy Daýançgylyç Urazow (Nisa Aşgabat) – 21
2004Nebitçi BalkanabatNisa AşgabatMerw Mary Berdi Şamyradow (HTTU Aşgabat) – 19
2005HTTU AşgabatGazçy GazojakNebitçi Balkanabat Berdi Şamyradow (HTTU Aşgabat) – 30
2006HTTU AşgabatNebitçi BalkanabatFC Aşgabat Hamza Allamow (Turan Daşoguz) – 22
2007FC AşgabatHTTU AşgabatNebitçi Balkanabat Berdi Şamyradow (HTTU Aşgabat) – 16
2008FC AşgabatHTTU AşgabatNebitçi Balkanabat Mämmedaly Garadanow (HTTU Aşgabat) – 12
Berdi Şamyradow (HTTU Aşgabat) – 12
2009HTTU AşgabatNebitçi BalkanabatMerw Mary Berdi Şamyradow (HTTU Aşgabat) – 18
2010FC BalkanAltyn AsyrFC Lebap Berdi Şamyradow (HTTU Aşgabat) – 11
2011FC BalkanHTTU AşgabatFC Aşgabat Mämmedaly Garadanow (HTTU Aşgabat) – 24
2012FC BalkanMerwHTTU Aşgabat Aleksandr Boliyan (Şagadam) – 23
2013HTTU AşgabatFC BalkanAltyn Asyr Mämmedaly Garadanow (FC Balkan) – 26
2014Altyn AsyrAhalŞagadam Mämmedaly Garadanow (Şagadam – 28)
2015Altyn AsyrFC BalkanFC Aşgabat Myrat Ýagşyýew (FC Balkan) – 31
2016Altyn AsyrFC BalkanEnergetik Türkmenbaşy Süleýman Muhadow (Altyn Asyr) – 30
2017Altyn AsyrAhalŞagadam Myrat Ýagşyýew (Altyn Asyr) – 28[16]
2018Altyn AsyrAhalEnergetik Türkmenbaşy Altymyrat Annadurdyýew (Altyn Asyr) – 19
2019Altyn AsyrAhalŞagadam Didar Durdyýew[17] (Ahal) – 14
2020Altyn AsyrAhalŞagadam Altymyrat Annadurdyýew (Altyn Asyr) – 35[18]
2021Altyn AsyrAhalŞagadam Elman Tagaýew (Ahal) – 10
2022AhalAltyn AsyrMerw Didar Durdyýew (Ahal) – 27
2023Arkadag Didar Durdyýew (Arkadag) – 26

Performance by club

TeamChampionsRunners-upThird place
Altyn Asyr8 (2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)3 (2010, 2022, 2023)1 (2013)
Köpetdag Aşgabat6 (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997–98, 2000)3 (1996, 1998–99, 2001)
Nebitçi4 (2004, 2010, 2011, 2012)8 (1992, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2016)7 (1993, 1995, 2001, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2023)
Nisa Aşgabat4 (1996, 1998–99, 2001, 2003)4 (1994, 1995, 2002, 2004)2 (1997–98, 2000)
Ýedigen4 (2005, 2006, 2009, 2013)3 (2007, 2008, 2011)1 (2012)
Aşgabat2 (2007, 2008)3 (2006, 2011, 2015)
1 (2022)6 (2014, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)1 (1992)
Şagadam1 (2002)6 (2003, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021)
Arkadag1 (2023)
Merw1 (2012)4 (1994, 2004, 2009, 2022)
Dagdan Aşgabat1 (1997–98)1 (1998–99)
Büzmeýin1 (1993)
Gazçy Gazojak1 (2005)
Bagtyyarlyk-Lebap3 (1996, 2002, 2010)
Energetik Mary2 (2016, 2018)

League participation

Note: The tallies below include up to the 2024 season. Teams denoted in bold are current participants.

Youth championship

The Youth League (Turkmen: Ýaşlar liga), also known as Youth teams championship (Turkmen: Ýaşlar arasyndaky birinjilik) full name Youth football championship of Turkmenisatn among teams of clubs of the Higher League (Turkmen: Ýokary liganyň futbol klublarynyň ýaşlar düzümleriniň gatnaşmagyndaky futbol boýunça Türkmenistanyň birinjiligi), is a league that runs in parallel to the Ýokary Liga and includes the youth or reserve teams of the Turkmenistan Higher League teams. The number of players a team can have on the pitch at a time that are over 21 years of age or without a Turkmenistan citizenship is limited. 8 teams participate in the league.[19] Matches are commonly played a day before the match of the senior teams of the respective teams.

Youth championship winners (since 2019)

  • 2019: FC Altyn Asyr-2 [20]
  • 2020: FC Altyn Asyr-2
  • 2021: FC Altyn Asyr-2
  • 2022: FC Altyn Asyr-2[21]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Archived copy . 7 May 2023 . 2 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230502174503/https://turkmenportal.com/blog/60010/start-chempionata-turkmenistana-po-futbolu-perenesen-na-14-aprelya . live .
  2. Web site: 30-njy futbol çempionatymyz . 7 May 2023 . 7 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230507114901/http://tff.com.tm/news/444 . live .
  3. Web site: Определились все участники клубных турниров АФК от Туркменистана в сезоне-2023/2024 . 7 May 2023 . 7 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230507115543/https://turkmenportal.com/blog/55815/ . live .
  4. Web site: Завершился чемпионат Туркменистана по футболу сезона-20222 . 7 May 2023 . 7 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230507120941/https://turkmenportal.com/blog/55813/zavershilsya-chempionat-turkmenistana-po-futbolu-sezona202 . live .
  5. https://turkmenportal.com/blog/70819/arkadag-dosrochno-stal-chempionom-turkmenistana-po-futbolu «Аркадаг» досрочно стал чемпионом Туркменистана по футболу
  6. Web site: Футбольный клуб «Ахал» впервые в истории стал чемпионом Туркменистана . 7 May 2023 . 19 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221219064028/https://turkmenportal.com/blog/55280/futbolnyi-klub-ahal-vpervye-v-istorii-stal-chempionom-turkmenistana . live .
  7. Web site: Чемпионат Туркменистана по футболу стартует 14 апреля . 4 April 2023 . 7 May 2023 . 7 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230507120301/https://orient.tm/ru/old/post/50372/chempionat-turkmenistana-po-futbolu-startuet-14-aprelya . live .
  8. Web site: «Мерв» завоевал бронзу чемпионата Туркменистана и право выступить в Кубке АФК . 23 December 2022 . 7 May 2023 . 16 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230116000335/https://turkmenistan.gov.tm/ru/post/68870/merv-zavoeval-bronzu-chempionata-turkmenistana-i-pravo-vystupit-v-kubke-afk . live .
  9. Web site: Archived copy . 7 May 2023 . 29 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230129145914/https://turkmenportal.com/blog/55803/merv-v-chetvertyi-raz-stal-bronzovym-prizerom-chempionata-turkmenistana-po-futbolu . live .
  10. Web site: Футбольный клуб «Аркадаг» включили в состав Федерации футбола Туркменистана . 7 May 2023 . 1 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230501214634/https://turkmenportal.com/blog/59995/futbolnyi-klub-arkadag-vklyuchili-v-sostav-federacii-futbola-turkmenistana . live .
  11. Web site: Archived copy . 7 May 2023 . 1 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230501214634/http://tff.com.tm/news/1022 . live .
  12. Web site: «Аркадаг» дебютировал с победы в чемпионате Туркменистана по футболу . 19 April 2023 . 7 May 2023 . 1 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230501220137/https://turkmenistan.gov.tm/ru/post/71628/arkadag-debyutiroval-s-pobedy-v-chempionate-turkmenistana-po-futbolu . live .
  13. Web site: Archived copy . 7 May 2023 . 12 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220112204226/https://turkmenportal.com/blog/42642/altyn-asyr-nagradili-chempionskim-kubkom . live .
  14. Web site: Archived copy . 19 May 2023 . 19 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230519112057/https://turkmenportal.com/blog/62020/nebitchi-s-minimalnym-schetom-obygral-ahal . live .
  15. Web site: Turkmenistan – List of Champions. RSSSF. 20 August 2011. 11 August 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220811121618/https://www.rsssf.org/tablest/turkmchamp.html. live.
  16. Web site: Федерация Футбола Туркменистана подвела итоги 2017 года . 10 December 2019 . 10 December 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191210213712/http://www.tff.com.tm/ru/news/%25D1%2584%25D0%25B5%25D0%25B4%25D0%25B5%25D1%2580%25D0%25B0%25D1%2586%25D0%25B8%25D1%258F-%25D1%2584%25D1%2583%25D1%2582%25D0%25B1%25D0%25BE%25D0%25BB%25D0%25B0-%25D1%2582%25D1%2583%25D1%2580%25D0%25BA%25D0%25BC%25D0%25B5%25D0%25BD%25D0%25B8%25D1%2581%25D1%2582%25D0%25B0%25D0%25BD%25D0%25B0-%25D0%25BF%25D0%25BE%25D0%25B4%25D0%25B2%25D0%25B5%25D0%25BB%25D0%25B0-%25D0%25B8%25D1%2582%25D0%25BE%25D0%25B3%25D0%25B8-2017-%25D0%25B3%25D0%25BE%25D0%25B4%25D0%25B0 . live .
  17. Web site: Нападающий «Ахала» Дидар Дурдыев стал лучшим бомбардиром чемпионата Туркменистана-2019 . 10 December 2019 . 11 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200911145900/https://turkmenportal.com/blog/23713/napadayushchii-ahala-didar-durdyev-stal-luchshim-bombardirom-chempionata-turkmenistana2019 . live .
  18. Web site: Высшая лига . tff.com.tm/ . Football Federation of Turkmenistan . https://web.archive.org/web/20210325075206/http://tff.com.tm/ru/chempionat . 25 March 2021. 25 March 2021 .
  19. Web site: Archived copy . 7 May 2023 . 7 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230507121429/http://tff.com.tm/news/1067 . live .
  20. Web site: Archived copy . 7 May 2023 . 7 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230507121839/https://turkmenportal.com/blog/22344/altyn-asyr-dosrochno-stal-chempionom-molodezhnogo-pervenstva-turkmenistana-po-futbolu . live .
  21. Web site: Archived copy . 7 May 2023 . 7 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230507121836/https://turkmenportal.com/blog/54824/altyn-asyr-stal-chempionom-molodezhnogo-pervenstva-turkmenistana-po-futbolu . live .